Hold up, movie buffs! If you haven’t heard the buzz, Jessie Buckley is out here absolutely slaying the game, and her performance in Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” is, no cap, straight up lit. Seriously, folks are calling her the undisputed frontrunner for Best Actress at this year’s Oscars, and for real, it’s easy to see why. She brings Agnes Shakespeare to life with a raw, earthy power that just grabs you and doesn’t let go. It’s the kind of performance that sticks with you long after the credits roll, making you rethink everything you thought you knew about Shakespeare’s better half.
This Irish firecracker isn’t new to lighting up the screen, but her turn as the playwright’s wife and mother to their three children has catapulted her into a whole new stratosphere. Critics are already calling it a career-defining moment, with some predicting her name will be in conversations for years to come. From her humble beginnings in Killarney, Ireland, to gracing the stages of London and eventually dominating Hollywood’s awards season, Buckley’s journey has been nothing short of inspiring, a testament to her undeniable talent and a relentless pursuit of her craft. It’s a legit rags-to-riches, or at least talent-to-superstardom, story that’s got everyone talking.
Born in Cork and raised in the picturesque Killarney, Buckley’s early life was anything but typical. Living in a shed behind her dad’s 28-room guesthouse sounds like something straight out of a quirky indie film, but it exposed her to a world of characters, including an American barbershop quartet that sparked her early interest in performance. Her mom, a talented harpist and singer, originally pursued an opera career in London, instilling in Jessie a deep appreciation for music and the visceral power of storytelling. Watching her mom connect with audiences in church, leaving them in tears, was a profound moment for a young Jessie, planting the seed for her own artistic calling.
Despite her musical leanings, it was Shakespeare who truly blew her mind. She initially tried for musical theater schools but was rejected by Guildford, a moment she now sees as crucial. “They were absolutely right not to let me in,” she admits, reflecting on her readiness. This setback, however, serendipitously led her to an open audition for the BBC talent show “I’d Do Anything” at just 17. Coming in second on a nationally televised show might seem like a win, but Buckley describes it as a period of uncomfortable self-discovery, navigating public scrutiny while figuring out who she was as a young woman.
That raw experience, however, caught the eye of theater impresario Cameron Mackintosh, who generously sponsored her attendance at a Shakespeare workshop at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). This four-week immersion was a game-changer. Shakespeare’s words felt like “liquid lava,” providing the artistic fire she’d previously only found in music. Years later, with the help of a kind benefactor from a jazz club where she sang, she returned to RADA for full-time training. Talk about a glow-up! Working alongside legends like Dame Judi Dench in “The Winter’s Tale” further honed her craft, proving that her education was far from over. She studied Dench’s every move, soaking up the wisdom of a deeply human and mischievous artist.
Buckley’s path to screen acting wasn’t a sprint. She turned down early offers to move to America, feeling she needed to “get to know myself in order to meet what that might be.” Her debut came with 2017’s “Beast,” a pure, low-budget passion project that allowed her to explore a character with monstrous depths. This was followed by acclaimed turns in “Wild Rose,” playing a Scottish ex-con country singer, and “The Lost Daughter,” which earned her an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actress. The latter, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, was a heavily female set that profoundly impacted her, exploring the complexities of motherhood and womanhood without holding back. “Maggie provoked the most uncomfortable questions in order to realize something,” Buckley shares, a sentiment that resonates with her fearless approach to roles.
Her work in films like “Men” and “Women Talking” also tackled the timely theme of toxic masculinity, mirroring the cultural shifts of the #MeToo era. These intense projects further solidified her reputation for taking on challenging, uncompromising characters. It’s clear she’s not here for the easy roles, dude. She goes for the ones that make you feel something deep down.
And then came “The Bride!”—Maggie Gyllenhaal’s reimagining of “Bride of Frankenstein,” starring Christian Bale. Shot right before “Hamnet,” this big-budget film proved to be an even bigger internal journey for Buckley. Playing a character born without autonomy, who only screams, forced her to step into a “different body” of herself, demanding a fierce, embodied performance. “It cracked me wide open and brought me to my knees,” she recounts. This intense preparation, this confidence to take up space and tell a story from a female perspective, was, she believes, absolutely pivotal in shaping her Agnes Shakespeare in “Hamnet.” Agnes, historically a shadowy figure, is given a vibrant, elemental force by Buckley, something that feels incredibly on point with Gyllenhaal’s thematic explorations.
Working with director Chloé Zhao on “Hamnet” was equally transformative. Zhao, known for her naturalistic approach, fostered a uniquely collaborative environment, incorporating dream work and guided meditations on set – outside-the-box stuff, for real. Buckley recalls the raw emotionality of scenes like Hamnet’s death, where a primal scream emerged unexpectedly in a second take. The deep trust and connection with her young co-star, Jacobi Jupe, allowed for such profound moments. “We were really vibrating on a level together,” she explains, underscoring the magic that happens when artists truly connect.
The film’s ending, where Agnes finally sees her husband’s work and recognizes the reincarnation of her lost son in the story, is pure movie magic. It’s a powerful moment of catharsis, a collective acknowledgment of grief and the transcendent power of art. For Buckley, who recently became a mother herself, the role resonated deeply, even though she hadn’t experienced motherhood at the time of filming. She tapped into her dreams and unconscious, finding Agnes’s language through abstract writing, a legit mind-meld with the character.
Now, as the awards circuit goes full throttle, Buckley admits to a mix of awe and occasional intimidation. One minute she’s changing a diaper, grateful for the grounding reality, the next she’s at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon, surrounded by artists she’s admired her whole life. “This doesn’t happen in a life,” she acknowledges, genuinely humbled. Despite the glare of the spotlight, she remains committed to seeking out projects that “wake me up to my life” and working with people who push her creatively. She’s definitely got her head on straight, even as her career goes highkey next level. No cap, we can’t wait to see what this dope actress does next.
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